Dearborn City Council recently voted to remove Orville Hubbard’s name from the city’s Ford Performing Arts Center, according to a Fox 2 News report and confirmation from a city official.
By the end of the City Council meetings, the city had voted to remove Orville Hubbard’s name from inside the location.
The longtime mayor spewed racism throughout his nearly 40 years as leader, primarily targeting Blacks with his hurtful speech.
Hubbard was mayor of the city from 1942 to 1978 – 36 years and he had a city slogan “Keep Dearborn Clean” which was designed to keep African Americans out. The ballroom renamed after Abraham Lincoln.
D. Julia Kapilango, CEO of Authority, Downtown Development Authority – East Dearborn, said that the city is making good strides, but there is still more work to be done because the ballroom could have been named after Rosa Parks or George Washington Carver, or another notable African American versus a former slave owner.
“The city is opening up to recognizing the past traumas that have been placed on the Baby Boomer generation and what has been generationally passed down to Generation X and somewhat to the millennial generation,” she said, adding that after the death of George Floyd more Dearborn residents have stepped up and demanded change through various actions. “It is understood that in order to be a viable community you have to have racial equity, diversity and inclusion. And you must also address any behaviors that have stemmed from violence, segregation, and hate because of (the) color of one’s skin or economics.”
She added that the City Council’s decision is important, and being done on multiple levels in the city.
“I think this is step is good, though there are several more steps that must be taken,” she said.
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